How The Internet Can Benefit Forms Distributors

How The Internet Can Benefit Forms Distributors

by JC Harris

Copyright(C) 1998 Suntower Systems

I. Introduction

The internet is a puzzle for many forms/business products resellers and there are lots of misperceptions. But the web is not a threat or something to be ignore. No, it is your friend and can help your business in several ways both within your organization and with your vendors and customers. I’m not talking about having a ‘way cool’ image (although there’s nothing wrong with that!). I am talking about delivering better service, with less effort and making more money.

Three Flavors Of Webs

Web-based ‘nets’ come in three basic types: Internet, Intranet and Extranet. An Internet is what you’re probably used to thinking of: ‘surfing’ for interesting things from computers all over the world via an on-line service or your company’s connection.

An Intranet is simply a private version of the same thing, so it only connects PCs within your organization (be they in the same building or at various locations). This gives you all the information sharing abilities of the Internet but with security and privacy. This is different from a conventional network in that you are sharing information through your browser.

An Extranet usually refers to your company’s Intranet linked to one or more other company’s Intranets. For example, you and a vendor, or you and a customer. Like an Intranet, there is privacy and security.

Each of these can have value for you. You’ve probably heard about Internets, so perhaps you think of the Web primarily in terms of surfing for information or ‘chatting’. Well, that’s where all the press has been, but not most of the practical applications for forms distributors, so let’s concentrate on where the value is for you: Intranets and Extranets.

II. Intranets: Exchanging Information In Your Office

Do you have branch offices? Do you have salespeople who work at home. Or after hours. Or on weekends? Do you have information that changes constantly that you need all your employees to see ASAP? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions than you are a candidate for an Intranet. Since everybody’s computer nowadays has a browser, why not put your company’s information on your own web site and let your users access it.

How? Pretty much every word processor, spreadsheet and database (plus at least one accounting package we know of!) work directly with web pages. So you can use your existing t letters,memos, price lists, ordering information and other data just as you always have, but also publish it on your web site for use by the people who need it. And since you don’t have to re-enter anything, it’s always current! Even those who are e-mail challenged find that exchanging information this way is easier (and more private) than memos, faxes, and phone tag.

One example: we have customers with warehouses a few blocks away from their main office. Setting up a conventional network would be very costly, but putting shipping and inventory information on the company’s web site means that the shipping clerk can get up to the minute information on their computer for the cost of an AOL account ($19.95/month!)

Another example: Many of your sales reps have home computers or laptops. Could they take orders via laptop? Or get sales or pricing at the customer site? Or what about making changes to customer artwork at the customer site. Or simply getting updates on company meetings, phone calls, messages, etc.

And of course: Remote offices. Simply post relevant information on your web site and all your offices have access to it immediately. For only $19.95 per month!

III. Extranets: Smoother Execution for Customers & Vendors

Now think about your customers? If you could offer them a way to check their orders, place orders, update them on all the great things you doing, or let them contact you with routine requests more easily (and less expensively) you’d do it right? Well, your private web site can let them access the information that you want them to see, again for only a few dollars a month. I’m not saying to replace courteous personal service, I’m suggesting that you augment your personal service with new capabilities that make it more convenient for your customers. That’s called Value Added selling.

Smoother Vendor Relations

Many vendors, including manufacturers and pre-press houses are glad to receive orders via the internet. Since you can attach files to your order, you can easily send and receive artwork, fonts, etc. immediately. Yes, some vendors do offer EDI solutions, but most are proprietary systems. The web is universal, inexpensive, and doesn’t require a diploma (or deep pockets) to use effectively.

IV. Advertising

Back to the Internet for a moment. I ’m not talking about advertising on obscure sites visited only by gamers. Major companies like Time Magazine and Disney offer localized marquee scrolling ads that, when clicked on, automatically send the user to your site. If you have anything like impulse items to sell (office supplies, etc.) you should consider these. Or, if you have an Extranet with your clients, why not place your own marquee ads complete with impulse specials on your site! Also many services now provide free on-line business listings. More and more people are using the internet as their Yellow Pages.

V. How To Begin

I hope you’ve gotten at least a couple of ideas here. The next step is to contact an Internet Service Provider (ISP) who can help you coordinate this and demonstrate how easy all this is. What holds back most companies is the misconception that it’s too hard. It’s not; you just haven’t found the right partner to get you started. All the major phone companies have programs in places as well as Compuserve, IBM and so on.

(Mr. Harris is a partner at Suntower Systems, the developers of Simple Accounting, a fully Internet-enabled system used by over 300 forms resellers throughout North America.)